The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher
The memory of Fred Gibb's racing era and the well-organized Fred Gibb Memorial Car Show continues to draw new visitors and old friends to La Harpe.
"I am so impressed with the way this show is put on," said Denny Miller of Bettendorf, Iowa.
Miller was showing an impressive bright red 1969 Camaro Z/28 which took first in the Classic Super Chevy out of 42 Z/28s and 305 camaros overall at Indianapolis, Indiana.
Miller was pronounced the Class Winner and given a Super Chevy winner's jacket and was pictured in Super Chevy Magazine.
He took three awards in Car Craft Magazine event in Cordova: "Best Camaro", 2nd Best Restored and 2nd Best Street and pictured there as well.
"Dean Davis of Moline who built the car, is working on another car which is almost finished," Miller said. "It is being built with all ZL-1 parts...everything but the body plate."
Davis is a perfectionist who has pointed 996 out of 1,000 at the Chicago shows, Miller said.
"He showed at the Super Chevy Gold Class which is by Invitation only, where only 67 people in 20 years have been invited. In the Detroit Camaro Nationals he twice received the Vince Piggins award - the only one to do so."
Out of the six Camaros Davis has built, Miller is proud to have owned three of them.
"He could write the book on restoration. He knows every nut, bolt, and part number." Miller said of Davis.
Besides traveling to shows, Miller, a retired John Deere photographer, puts on car shows at his 48 lane Bowling Alley on Kimberly and Elmore in Moline. Over 300 cars came to his Dwyer and Michael's Classic Car Show which will occur again June 19, "04.
Miller said he attends over 30 shows a year and the Fred Gibb Memorial is the best around.
He commended organizers on the professionalism, the opening, the national anthem, the tent and just a very well-ran show.
This is what attending the car show is all about. Lots of different people, with lots of different stories plus a love and appreciation for the work that one puts into a fine car.
At Friday night's car show in Monmouth, 1,013 vehicles were on display. Organizer, Steve Albert said the streets were full for five blocks each way and lots of nice prizes were given away for children and adults.
Many who attended came Saturday to LaHarpe's show.
414 cars registered Saturday morning coming from Iowa, Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Penn, Mich, Nebraska, MN, Indiana, Alabama, Tenn, Canada, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Colorado, and Kansas.
Sixteen of the 2002 ZL-1 Supercar Camaros were on display and 6 of the 1969 ZL-1 Camaros.
LaHarpe organizer and Mayor Kenny Brown estimated that over 2500 people attended the show.
The event opened with a moment of silence for La Harpe's fallen Marine, Cpl, Evan James and for friend and former resident Dennis Hartweg who died of a heart attack at a car show in Joplin, MO January 31st. Bruce Goettsche of the LaHarpe Union Church gave the opening prayer. As all stood with hats removed and hand on their heart, God Bless America and the National Anthem were played over a crisp and loud sound system.
There were several big tents, and lots to look at before the unveilings of the new cars were performed. Rare vehicles included the Cobra, Viper, COPO, YENKO and Dick Harrell cars.
Mike Seaver was busy for Channel 7-TV out of Quincy working on a documentary that should air in few weeks. Seaver said he had raced in the Gibb era driving a "66 Chevelle SS 396.
"I always got beat by Herb." he said, as he reminisced of some of the things they did back then.
The Beck Brothers Band played in the afternoon.
David Watts of Alabama came 940 miles in 16 hours with his 6 mo. pregnant wife and their 16 month old son pulling his 2002 ZL-1 Camaro Supercar Phase III.
His yellow Camaro had the highest price tag of the recent ZL-1 Supercars of $104,000 but he said that he had upgraded the Phase II engine to the bigger Phase III and kept the Phase II engine for another Camaro he had at home.
Besides Channel 7 TV, other media covering the event were WCAZ radio, Chevy Rumble Magazine, The Hancock County Journal, The Macomb Eagle and The Quill, newspapers.
Kenny Brown said that the most important people who came were those who brought their cars that were their pride and joy.
Organizers - (Kenny Brown, Bob Lionberger, Jerry Burford) and their crew commended the hard work of volunteers and the contributions by businesses and sponsors of the 30 classes and door prizes.
Class winners are:
Class 1 Buck & Dave Kalber, Quincy, Il 1957 Chevy Bel Air
Class 2 David Dunfleinger, Otuomwa, Ia 1964 Chevy Impala
Class 3 Jim Staines, Macomb, 1969 Chevy Camaro
Class 4 Mike Cantrall, Athens, 1972 Chevy Chevelle
Class 5 Lavelle Hunt, Dalton City, Il. 1980 Chevy Z-28
Class 6 Clifford Adam, Monmouth Il. 2002 Chevy Camaro SS Convertible
Class 7. Randy Sebring, Macomb, Il. 1956 Riveria
Class 8. Trent Nelson, Galesburg, Il 2003 Heavy Metal Chopper
Class 9 Brent Boergeoes, Wyaconda, Mo. 1982 Chevy S-10
Class 10 J Painter, Plymouth, Il 1954 Ford Truck
Class 11 Larry Miller, Lorrane, Il. 1972 Chevy truck
Class 12 Randy Chaleipa, Waland Il. 1993 Chevy truck
Class 13. Cordy Hutchins, Galesburg, Il 1978 Bronco
Class 14 Bryant Dole, Basco Il. 1993 Ford Ranger
Class 15 Matt Koehn Quincy, Il 1971 Chevy Malibu
Class 16 Frances Richmond, Quincy, Il 1967 Corvette
Class 17 Steve Engberg, Mt Pleasant Ia. 1969 Ford Mustang
Class 18 Don Dole, Carthage, Il. 1967 Chevy Camaro
Class 19 Randy Cooper, Keokuk, Ia 1986 Camaro
Class 20 Ed Bubb Quincy, Il 1950 Mercury
Class 21 Larry Christenson, Arvada, Col. 1969 Chevy Camaro
Class 22 Rick Sill, Ursa, Il 1970 Chevy Chevelle
Class 23 Thersa Brewer, Macomb, Il 1978 Pontiac TA
Class 24 Mark Brewer, Macomb, Il 1987 Monte Carlo
Class 25 John Archer, Springfield, Il 1965 Chevy Impala
Class 26 Ernie Campbell, Keokuk, Ia 1970 Chevyy Chevelle SS
Class 27 Frank Solis, Rock Island, Il 1934 Chevy Coupe
Class 28 Gary Hull, Alexis. Il 1948 Chevy truck
Class 29 Tim Murphy, Galesburg, Il. 1959 El Camino
Class 30 Brett Powell, Blandinsville, Il 1991 Jeep Rangler
Best GM Bruce Howe, Freemont, NE 1957 Chevy Bel Air
Best Ford Ron Boren, Pittsfield 1969 Ford Shellby GT 350
Best Mopar Steve Heath Bettendorf, IA 1969 Plymouth RoadRunner
Best of Show Bill Roberts Willard MO 1967 Chevy 2 Nova
Friday night in Monmouth, the streets around the square were lined with cars five blocks deep or better during the Maple City Street Machine's 4th Annual Cruise Night. 1,013 entries registered for prizes. Above are street machines and show pieces from Vaughn Jewelers south.
A few of the many entries in the 5th Annual Fred Gibb Memorial Car Show held Saturday in La Harpe. The weather was beautiful, the crowds were in the thousands, and the event well worth the drive.
Ann Hartweg, Springfield, was the last to receive one of sixty-nine 2002 ZL-1 Camaro Supercars produced by Matt Murphy's GMMG, Inc in Marietta, Georgia. Ann is the wife of the late Dennis Hartweg whose father Chuck worked as a mechanic with Fred Gibb during his racing years. Dennis who worked for Penske Logistics as Safety Manager for Whirlpool, was influenced by the fame and success of the Gibb race cars. After Dennis died of a heart attack in January this year at a car show in Joplin, MO, his wife Ann made the decision to purchase the #44 ZL-1. Above she with her mother-in-law, Betty Dunkin of Peoria Heights, start the Camaro and rev the engine as a tribute to her husband and his love for the famous Gibb Zl-1s. It was a moving moment.
From left...Bob Lionberger, Nancy Gibb Helen Gibb, Jerry Burford, Steve Albert and Ken Brown
Jerry Burford stands with the 120 trophies sponsored by area businesses. The larger trophies at left are for Best of Show and Longest Distance Car, and Longest Business Truck; Best, GM, Best Ford, and Best Mopar.
Chevy Rumble Magazine reporter Doug Marion (left) from California, visits with Ken Barnhart of Elgin. Ken is owner of a Hugger Orange 1969 Zl-1 which he bought from Fred Gibb and still races as well as the owner of a Hugger Orange 2002 ZL-1 Camaro Supercar.
A display of YENKO cars were a few of the 1,013 cars displayed in Monmouth Friday night.
One of two 2002 ZL-1 Camaro Supercar unveilings were for Helen and John Meyer of Warrensburg, MO near Kansas City. They are congratulated by Mrs. Fred Gibb. The Meyers own Happy Days Dream Car and have fifty classic, muscle and street rods for sale but plan on keeping this car for a while. John said he was interested in all collectibles and he had heard about the show from a car dealer in Arkansas and another friend in Arkansas, Charles Lumpkin who had bought and now sold his silver 2002 ZL-1 Supercar that was unveiled earlier this year in La Harpe.
The other 2002 ZL-1 Camaro was unveiled and delivered to Ann Hartweg of Springfield.
She is pictured here with Helen Gibb of LaHarpe, and Ray Morrison of Missouri. Ann's is the only black Supercar of the sixty-nine "02s.
Car owned by Bill Porterfield of Michigan. is his #1-2002 ZL-1 Camaro Supercar designed after the #1-1969 ZL-1 Fred Gibb
Car owned by Bill Porterfield of Michigan. is his Dick Harrell champion race car